English Department
English

Faculty

Name
Elizabeth Leigh Smith
Title
Professor of English, Department Chair

B.A., 1991, Rice University
M.A., 1994, University of Houston
Ph.D., 1999, University of Houston

Phone
(570) 422-3385
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 A

Dr. Smith joined the faculty at East Stroudsburg University in 2002 and specializes in medieval and other early British literature.

Name
Bill Broun
Title
Professor of English

B.A., 1989, Miami University of Ohio
M.A., 1993, Miami University of Ohio
M.F.A., 1998, University of Houston

Phone
(570) 422-3540
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 O

Bill Broun helped work his way through college and grad school as a journalist (and Big Lots clerk, waiter, dishwasher, and lawn cutter). As a reporter and editor, he covered everything from the indie band rock scene and air travel industry to murders and natural disasters, working in Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts and London.

www.billbroun.com
Name
Sandra Eckard
Title
Professor of English

B.A., 1994, Frostburg State University
M.A., 1996, West Virginia University
Ph.D., 2001, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Phone
(570) 422-3426
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 C

Dr. Eckard directs the Writing Studio here at ESU, the hot-spot for writing tutoring on campus. In addition, teaches a variety of writing and literature courses and works with education majors. She presents at conferences regularly, and her latest book series, Comic Connections, is published by Rowman and Littlefield Education.

Name
Jeffrey Hotz
Title
Professor of English

B.A., 1994, Georgetown University
M.A., 1997, Georgetown University
Ph.D., 2004, George Washington University

Phone
(570) 422-3315
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 H

Jeffrey Hotz teaches early American literature with a focus on the nineteenth century. His scholarship involves archival and special collections research to examine authors' personal papers, creative processes, and relationships with publishers and readers.

Name
Laura Kieselbach
Title
Associate Professor of English

B.A., 2000, Pennsylvania State University
M.Ed., 2010, University of Central Florida
Ed.D., Northeastern University

Phone
(570) 422-3992
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 H

Dr. Laura Kieselbach joined the ESU English Department in the Fall of 2016. She instructs Teaching of English, Composition, Literary Analysis, Diversity Literature, and works closely with the Education College in advising student teachers in the field.

Name
Cynthia Leenerts
Title
Associate Professor of English

B.A., 1987, George Mason University
M.A., 1990, George Mason University
Ph.D., 1997, George Washington University

Phone
(570) 422-3032
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 E

An Associate Professor of English, as well as a student of Chinese language and literatures, Cynthia Leenerts joined the faculty of ESU in 2005. She teaches postcolonial literature, British literature, and other world literatures, along with linguistics, literary criticism and theory, biblical and other religious literatures, and composition. Currently serving as President of the South Asian Literary Association, she is working with Hema Chari on a book project, At Home in the World: Rabindranath Tagore’s Travel Writing.

Name
Richard Madigan
Title
Associate Professor of English

B.A., 1974, University of Florida
M.F.A., 1990, Indiana University

Phone
(570) 422-3388
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 P

Professor Madigan teaches classes in expository writing, creative writing, contemporary literature and modern and contemporary American and Irish poetry.

Name
Jan Selving
Title
Associate Professor of English

B.A., 1990, Indiana University
M.F.A., 1994, Arizona State University

Phone
(570) 422-3071
Campus Address
Stroud Hall F

Teaching areas: Creative Writing, Contemporary Literature, Professional Document Design

Name
Nancy VanArsdale
Title
Professor of English

B.A., 1979, Bucknell University
M.A., 1981, New York University
Ph.D., 1991, New York University

Phone
(570) 422-3622
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 G

Nancy VanArsdale pursues research in American literature and professional writing

Name
Jasmine Villa
Title
Assistant Professor of English

B.A., 2011, University of Texas at El Paso
M.A., 2014, University of Texas at El Paso
Ph.D., 2018, University of Texas at El Paso

Phone
(570) 422-3922
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 I

Dr. Villa earned her MA in Rhetoric and Writing Studies and PhD in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Texas at El Paso. Prior to arriving at ESU, Dr. Villa was the Assistant Director of the First-Year Composition Program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) from 2016 – 2018, taught undergraduate courses in composition and technical writing, and co-taught graduate level courses in grant writing and community literacy.

Name
Holly Wells
Title
Associate Professor of English

B.A., 1988, Youngstown State University
M.A., 2001, Youngstown State University
Ph.D., 2012, Kent State University

Phone
(570) 422-3382
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 O

Dr. Wells teaches courses in basic writing, advanced composition, nonfiction narrative, and professional and digital media writing in both the BA and MA programs. Her research focuses on the intersections between autoethnography, memoir, place study, and epigenetics.

Name
Artress Bethany White
Title
Associate Professor of English

B.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst
M.A., New York University
Ph.D., 2009, University of Kentucky

Phone
(570) 422-3368
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 D

Dr. White joined the East Stroudsburg University Department of English in fall 2020 after completing a National Endowment of the Humanities visiting professorship at Albright College. She is a poet, essayist, and literary critic. Her teaching, research, and writing interests include African American literature, contemporary poetry and poetics, BIPOC social justice literacy, and the memoir essay.

http://www.artressbethanywhite.com/
Name
Melissa-Marie Echevarria
Title
Instructor of English

B.A, 2021, College of Staten Island
M.A, 2024, Liberty University
Ed.D, 2027, Saint Elizabeth University

Phone
(570) 422-3385
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309 L

Born and raised in the vibrant heart of Brooklyn, NY, Melissa-Marie Echevarria is a former high school teacher turned college professor passionate about writing, education, and empowering her students. Armed with a Master’s in Administration and Supervision and a Bachelor’s in English Writing, she brings a unique blend of classroom experience and leadership to the academic world. When she’s not guiding future writers to find their voice, Melissa-Marie is probably binge-reading the latest bestseller, experimenting with new lesson plans, or sipping iced coffee while crafting her next big idea. With her Brooklyn roots and unstoppable energy, she’s all about making learning fun, creative, and, of course, fierce!

Name
Edward Crandall
Title
Instructor of English

B.A., 1987, New York University
M.A., 1998, Montclair State University (NJ)

Phone
(570) 422-3398
Campus Address
Strooud Hall 309 I

Edward Crandall teaches college writing. He was on the staff of the Saga Shimbun newspaper in Saga, Japan, where he wrote in Japanese, and he served as a contributing editor at the monthly publication of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Fukuoka, Japan, also writing and editing in Japanese. For nearly twenty years, he taught journalism, contemporary politics through the news, and intercultural communication at several two- and four-year colleges in Saga, Japan. He is also a professional Japanese translator

Name
James D. Ware
Title
Instructor of English

B.S., 2000, East Stroudsburg University
M.A., 2019, East Stroudsburg University
Ed.D., 2023, East Stroudsburg University

Phone
(570) 422-3398
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309

Dr. Ware teaches writing courses at the university. He recently co-authored a grammar and writing textbook titled Pragmatic Skills for Writers: A Germane Approach to Learning Grammar. Dr. Ware earned his MA in Professional and Digital Media Writing from East Stroudsburg University before earning his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a focus on curriculum and writing instruction from East Stroudsburg University. Dr. Ware also teaches Advanced Placement, Honors, and College Preparatory English courses in the East Stroudsburg Area School District.

Name
Jennifer Russell-Landis
Title
Instructor of English

B.A., 2009, DeSales University
M.F.A, 2019, Fairfield University

Phone
(570) 422-3398
Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309

Hailing from New York, Jennifer Russell-Landis has been working as both a writer and educator for over 10 years. Jennifer started her career in advertising and marketing before making the jump to the classroom. Jennifer's experience includes teaching journalism, fiction, writing and film production. She has taught at the middle school, high school and at the college level. Jennifer works at multiple.

Contact Us

Dr. Leigh Smith, department chair, by email or at (570) 422-3385 to learn more about ESU’s English major.

Contact Information

Campus Address
Stroud Hall 309
Phone:
(570) 422-3398
Fax:
(570) 422-3012 (Fax)
Title of Department Leader
Department Chair
Name
Leigh Smith
Phone:
(570) 422-3385